On 12 November 2023, in a shocking incident, four members of a family were brutally murdered in the Nejar area, under the jurisdiction of the Malpe Police in Karnataka’s Udupi.
Hasina, a 46-year-old mother, and her three children: Afnan, aged 22, Aythaj, 20, and Asim, 12, were killed inside their house by an intruder.
What makes this incident even more chilling is the involvement of an unidentified individual, dressed in a white shirt and wearing a white mask, who is suspected to have played a role in this gruesome crime. Police authorities are diligently working on the case, using available information and CCTV footage to piece together the events leading up to the tragedy.
Dr Arun D’souza, a senior police official for the district, has arrived at the scene and is overseeing the investigation.
The motive behind the killing has raised questions among the local community. Afnan, one of the victims, had been working as a cabin crew for Air India Airlines.
According to a family friend, Afnan had reportedly been targeted by a smuggling group due to her refusal to assist in illicit activities. In a previous incident, Afnan had reported the smuggling attempt to higher authorities, which led to the arrest of the person involved.
Following the arrest of the smuggler, Afnan began receiving death threats via phone calls from an unknown individual. Fearing for their safety, Afnan, her mother, grandmother, and siblings had decided to relocate to their native Nejar, believing it to be safer.
On 11 November, Afnan and her family arrived at their native place, but their sense of safety was short-lived. The next morning, around 9 AM, they were killed.
The assailant, described as a bald individual aged around 40 to 45, wearing a white shirt and a mask, travelled from SantheKatte to Nejar by auto, as reported by the rickshaw driver.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the assailant primarily targeted Afnan but was forced to eliminate all potential witnesses. The murderer infiltrated the house, where he attacked Afnan and her sister as they slept. A confrontation with Afnan’s mother resulted in her tragic death, and Afnan’s grandmother narrowly escaped and took refuge in a bathroom. Asim, Afnan’s younger brother, rushed to help but was also fatally attacked.
After the gruesome murders, the assailant took a bath before departing, leaving behind a scene of horror and sorrow. Afnan’s body was discovered on the bed, while Aythaj’s body was found near the attached washroom. The mother’s body was located near the kitchen, and Asim’s body was near the main entrance of the house.
Locals suspect that the murderer might be an experienced hitman, potentially hired by the smuggling gang to eliminate Afnan and her family.
The Malpe Police have already launched an investigation into this incident and are awaiting the postmortem report, as stated by an officer from the station.
*The identities of the sources have been concealed to protect their security.
